THE IMMORTAL'S FRIEND

Chapter 10: Realization

We stayed at the cave for hours. I was playing with my hands to entertain myself and also to lessen the awkwardness that I think I'm the only one who notices.

I don't know what time it is already. I don't have a clock to check it.

I just continued playing with my hands until Galen stood up and said that he'll go outside to look for food we'll eat later.

"Can I come with you?" I questioned. I don't want to be left here. I can't take the boredom anymore so I think helping him to search for food is not a bad idea.

"We might encounter wild beasts or snakes outside, it's better if you'll just stay here." he answered.

"But snakes can crawl here too, I want to go with you to at least feel safe."

"You sure do trust me a lot. Just to remind you, I am still a vampire. Even though I told you that I don't drink blood, you still need to at least be cautious of me."

"But you aren't dangerous," I said.

He didn't speak.

I don't even think he can kill mosquitoes. He's too kind for me to distance myself from him.

I thought he would still continue to convince me to stay here, but he just told me to be careful and don't remove my eyes from him before he went outside the cave.

I did too.

We both walk side by side and start searching for food. We were walking slowly and silently, but it's fine because it was not dark yet and we still have plenty of time to search for food.

"Why do you want me to do that anyway?" he asked to break the deafening silence.

"Do what?" I asked when I didn't understand his question.

"Drink your blood,"

I blink and think of what to answer. So he finally wonders why I keep on asking him to do that. Should I tell him the real reason? I only told him about my weak heart, but I don't know if I should also tell him about Flare.

"If you don't want to tell me, it's fine. I only asked that question so you won't be bored while walking with me. But if you don't want to talk about it, you can just ignore the question."

I want to hit myself for thinking twice to tell him the real reason. If I want to befriend him, I need to be true to him.

I need to tell him first the real reason why I want him to drink my blood before asking him to do it. How can he agree with me if I didn't even explain to him the reason why?

"It's because of Flare, a good friend of mine…" I started to speak when I get the courage to do so.

He looked at me as if he recognized the name, but he didn't say anything and just waited for me to continue.

"She's already dead because of brain cancer. I have a weak heart so she gave her heart to me."

Galen looks sad when he hears that and he looks down before saying sorry.

"It's fine. She gave me her heart so we already became one. I started to live normally with her heart inside me, but my body starts to reject her heart after years so I need another heart transplant." I explained.

"Then you should be staying at the hospital and preparing for the surgery right now, right? What are you doing here in the forest?" He asked curiously.

"Just like what I told you, I ran away from home to search for you. I only leave a letter to my mom so she won't worry too much. I don't want Flare's heart to be removed inside me so I decided to search for a vampire to make me immortal. I want to live forever with Flare's heart inside me." I said.

He suddenly stopped from walking and looked at me. The reaction on his face looks like he doesn't like what I just said.

He seems sad and disappointed on me.

"You're so careless…" he told me after a long moment of silence.

"You left your mom to go to this forest and look for a vampire that will make you immortal. I get it that you don't want your friend's heart to be removed inside you, but the way you thought to save your friend's heart and you is nonsense.

Let's say that your plan worked and you also became an immortal vampire.

Do you think your mom would be happy to know that? You would soon need to leave her too because you will be scared that you would kill her if you lose control. You need to isolate yourself from people because you'll be frightened by the thought of killing them."

"But that's not gonna happen because I'm confident that I can control it like you! I can be a vampire who doesn't hurt humans and kill people just like you."

He shook his head several times.

"It is not that easy. I was also tempted to drink blood before and it's so hard to control it. I just got a grip on myself and succeeded in controlling my body to not hurt people or drink human blood because I thought that if I never drank blood, I would turn back into human and meet my sister again."

I was shocked when I heard that he has a sister. I looked at him for exactly a minute before I got to ask another question.

"W-Where is your sister now?"

He got more sad because of my question. Misery was written all over his face as he stands there with a heavy heart.

"I don't know. I'm here in the forest because someone told me to go here. I thought I would find my sister once I get here, but it's been years already and I still can't find her. I don't know what to do anymore… All I'm hoping right now is to see her before I think of turning back the time." he answered.

He became so emotional that his legs gave up and he kneeled on the ground while covering his face with his palms.

He starts crying and breaking down.

I wonder when's the last time he broke down like this. He might be so lonely wandering here in the forest alone, hoping that he would find his sister. He kept all the pain and tears for years so he instantly break down after letting it go at once.

I can feel his pain overflowing.

My heart was breaking just by looking at him so I walked closer to him and kneeled on his front. I stared at him for a few seconds before my body move to hug him.

"It must be very hard keeping it all by yourself, Galen..." I said.

He stopped from crying when he felt that I am hugging him now, but I can still feel his body shaking.

He didn't push me away so I continue to hug him for a minute before I looked at his innocent face and wiped the tears on his cheeks using the back of my hand.

"You don't need to keep it all alone anymore, I'm here now. I'll help you to look for your sister." I said and smiled to let him know that I mean it.

His lips parted. He looks like he wants to say something but there's no words coming out from his mouth. So instead of speaking, he only raised his hand to pull me closer to him and hug me. His body is so warm.

"Thank you, Iris," he whispered softly.

My heart melted like a snow. I felt my lips curve into smile and I didn't hesitate to hug him back.

I should be the one saying thank you to him because he made me realize that being immortal is not the only solution to my problem.

He also made me realize that being a vampire is not easy, so I shouldn't desire to be a vampire anymore.

I'll just think of another way to live without removing Flare's heart inside me and without asking any vampires to turn me immortal.

I know there's still another way to make miracle and while searching for it, I'll also help Galen to look for his sister.